Bob Ward is a Principal Architect for the Microsoft Azure Data team, which owns the development for Microsoft SQL ground to cloud to fabric. Bob has worked for Microsoft for 32+ years on every version of SQL Server shipped from OS/2 1.1 to SQL Server 2025 including Azure SQL and SQL database in Fabric. Bob is a well-known speaker on SQL Server, Azure SQL, AI, and Microsoft Fabric often presenting talks on new releases, internals, and specialized topics at events such as SQLBits, Microsoft Build, Microsoft Ignite, PASS Summit, FabCon, SQLCon, and VS Live. You can also learn Azure SQL from him on the popular series https://aka.ms/azuresql4beginners. You can follow him at @bobwardms or linkedin.com/in/bobwardms. Bob is the author of the books Pro SQL Server on Linux, SQL Server 2019 Revealed, Azure SQL Revealed, SQL Server 2022 Revealed, Azure SQL Revealed 2nd Edition, and SQL Server 2025 Unveiled available from Apress Media.

Bob Ward is a Principal Architect for the Microsoft Azure Data team, which owns the development for Microsoft SQL ground to cloud to fabric. Bob has worked for Microsoft for 32+ years on every version of SQL Server shipped from OS/2 1.1 to SQL Server... Show more

Vaibhav Gujral is a seasoned cloud and AI leader with over 20 years of IT experience, specializing in architecting scalable, resilient cloud platforms. His career is distinguished by deep expertise in designing and implementing sophisticated, large-scale cloud ecosystems that underpin enterprise innovation. He is adept at leveraging DevOps principles and AI-driven technologies to architect solutions that generate significant business value.

Mr. Gujral's contributions to the field have been widely recognized. He has been awarded the Microsoft MVP title six times for his expertise in both the Azure Platform and AI Foundry. He is also a Fellow of the BCS (The Chartered Institute for IT), a member of the Forbes Technology Council, and a Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). Committed to professional development within the tech community, he founded and leads two influential meetup groups in Omaha. He further shares his expertise through his technical blog, vaibhavgujral.com, and as a frequent speaker at industry events.

Vaibhav Gujral is a seasoned cloud and AI leader with over 20 years of IT experience, specializing in architecting scalable, resilient cloud platforms. His career is distinguished by deep expertise in designing and implementing sophisticated, large-s... Show more

A dual Microsoft Business Applications MVP in Customer Experience and Customer Service. An expert Microsoft Certified Dynamics 365 Solution Architect, who's led the delivery and implementation of several tailored and value-oriented solutions to meet diverse global and national business requirements, that lead to positive customer outcomes.

15x Microsoft Certified and Success by Design Accredited, I use its principles that blend strategic design, rigorous gap analysis, and the pursuit of excellence in service delivery, to craft pathways to success for customers.

As Founder of the charitable organisation The Mentoring Hub, an award-winning mentor, MVP Mentor Lead, and regular Community contributor and international public speaker, I have a 'thing' for learning, a thirst for knowledge, and a desire for sharing both to uplift and empower all.

A dual Microsoft Business Applications MVP in Customer Experience and Customer Service. An expert Microsoft Certified Dynamics 365 Solution Architect, who's led the delivery and implementation of several tailored and value-oriented solutions to meet... Show more

Since 2023, I have been working as a firmware engineer at Arduino, contributing to the development of innovative hardware and software solutions.
I hold a Master's Degree in Computer Engineering from Politecnico di Milano, specializing in embedded systems. Before joining Arduino, I gained experience in various fields, including industrial, automotive, and green mobility.
Passionate about technical writing and traveling, I am always seeking new experiences and knowledge.

Since 2023, I have been working as a firmware engineer at Arduino, contributing to the development of innovative hardware and software solutions. I hold a Master's Degree in Computer Engineering from Politecnico di Milano, specializing in embedded s... Show more

Tech explorer & lifetime learner. Deep experience in consultancy, advisory and architectural roles in the Microsoft cloud tech space. Special focus areas include (but are not limited to) insider risk, compliance and data security.

Tech explorer & lifetime learner. Deep experience in consultancy, advisory and architectural roles in the Microsoft cloud tech space. Special focus areas include (but are not limited to) insider risk, compliance and data security. Show more

Currently a Microsoft Data Platform MVP, Jared has been a data engineering consultant for over a decade, implementing Microsoft products. For more than three decades, he has been honing his skills in theater and other performing arts. As a speaker, Jared marries these two disciplines together, creating dynamic presentations that add entertainment to education. This symbiotic relationship can improve presentation engagement, support attendees in knowledge retention, and foster a culture of passion for the data industry.

As a speaker, Jared has spoken at events such as:
-FabCon Vegas and Atlanta
-DataCon Seattle (Microsoft Data Conference)
-PASS Summit
-SQL Saturdays, Multiple
-Microsoft Fabric Global Online Conference
-Future Data Driven Summit
-GroupBy Conference
-and more!

He also runs the YouTube channel DataBard, focused on making Data fun and teaching techniques along the way.

Technically-speaking, Jared has multiple Microsoft certifications in both on-prem and cloud technologies. He has extensive knowledge in:
-Microsoft Fabric
-SQL Query Development and Performance tuning
-Kimball Data Modeling
-ETL design patterns
-Azure SQL DB and Azure SQL MI

In his spare time, he continues to perform in community theater productions, as well as musically for his church. Upon request, he would be happy to assist with more theatrical portions of events, such as performing musical numbers.

Currently a Microsoft Data Platform MVP, Jared has been a data engineering consultant for over a decade, implementing Microsoft products. For more than three decades, he has been honing his skills in theater and other performing arts. As a speaker, J... Show more

David is an Associate Director with Protiviti Canada and a 10-time Microsoft 365 & Security MVP with 25 years of experience working within information technology. For 20 years, David has assisted organizations to collaborate efficiently and effectively within SharePoint and Microsoft 365. David assists companies to understand their compliance needs and how to protect their data. He has helped organizations build data protection programs to safeguard their most sensitive information while ensuring the business can collaborate and work with their content. Over the past 25 years, David has built a great deal of experience in a wide variety of areas in IT, ranging from Desktop\Server support to development in C++ and .NET technologies. He has added value to many clients in several sectors, including utilities, government, banking, and agriculture.

David is a knowledgeable and sought-after international speaker within IT circles and is consulted regularly by companies formulating their digital workplace strategies and compliance platforms.

David blogs at http://daviddrever.com

David is an Associate Director with Protiviti Canada and a 10-time Microsoft 365 & Security MVP with 25 years of experience working within information technology. For 20 years, David has assisted organizations to collaborate efficiently and effective... Show more

Creo firmemente en el poder de los datos para cambiar realidades y en la importancia de seguir explorando nuevas formas de maximizar su impacto. Si quieres conectar o saber más sobre mi trabajo, puedes visitar mi blog en Medium https://medium.com/@akanemar

I firmly believe in the power of data to transform realities and in the importance of continuously exploring new ways to maximize its impact. If you'd like to connect or learn more about my work, feel free to visit my blog on Medium: https://medium.com/@akanemar

Creo firmemente en el poder de los datos para cambiar realidades y en la importancia de seguir explorando nuevas formas de maximizar su impacto. Si quieres conectar o saber más sobre mi trabajo, puedes visitar mi blog en Medium https://medium.com/@ak... Show more

I am an Azure Data Platform professional working predominantly with Azure Synapse Analytics (SQL Pools), Data Factory, SQL Server and Power BI. I hold an MSc in Business Intelligence and Data Mining. I am a current Microsoft Data Platform MVP.

I am an Azure Data Platform professional working predominantly with Azure Synapse Analytics (SQL Pools), Data Factory, SQL Server and Power BI. I hold an MSc in Business Intelligence and Data Mining. I am a current Microsoft Data Platform MVP. Show more

Developer Advocate,Security Champion, DevOps practitioner (whatever that means) Long time Java developer, leader and evangelist. I’ve been working on Java SDKs and JVMs since Java was less than 1. Also had time to work on other things including various JSRs, being a committer on various open source projects including ones at Apache, Eclipse and OpenJDK. A seasoned speaker and regular presenter at international conferences on technical and software engineering topics.

Developer Advocate,Security Champion, DevOps practitioner (whatever that means) Long time Java developer, leader and evangelist. I’ve been working on Java SDKs and JVMs since Java was less than 1. Also had time to work on other things including vari... Show more

With a zest culture hacker and a dose of product coach, I wear the mask of product manager on a daily basis. I like to take care of a close-knit team crafting a software that works in a healthy and psychologically secure environment.

Avec un zeste de culture hacker et une dose de coach produit, je porte le masque de product manager au quotidien. J'aime m'occuper d'une équipe soudée qui conçoit un logiciel qui fonctionne dans un environnement sain et psychologiquement sûr.

With a zest culture hacker and a dose of product coach, I wear the mask of product manager on a daily basis. I like to take care of a close-knit team crafting a software that works in a healthy and psychologically secure environment. Avec un zeste... Show more

Inspired by those in the community that have gone before me, I try to share what I learn by looking at what the services from Microsoft can offer, understanding challenges people have and bringing those two things together. Having learned from 13 years in Financial Services, I moved into the world of consulting, currently acting as Director, owning Copilot and Agents within the UK at Avanade.

I am lucky enough to have been awarded as a Microsoft MVP in Microsoft 365 for Copilot and Copilot Extensibility and co-host the award winning Copilot Connection podcast as well as blogging and sharing videos.

Inspired by those in the community that have gone before me, I try to share what I learn by looking at what the services from Microsoft can offer, understanding challenges people have and bringing those two things together. Having learned from 13 yea... Show more

I'm a GitHub Technical Lead, and I'm passionate about front-end technologies and everything related to the cloud, especially Microsoft Azure.
I live in Zurich and actively participate in local and international community activities and events.

I share my love for technology through my blog https://www.emanuelebartolesi.com.
I also became a Twitch Affiliate as a live coder, and you can follow me at https://twitch.tv/kasuken to write some code together.

Microsoft MVP (12x)
GitHub Star ⭐ (4x)
GitHub Star of the Year 2023

I'm a GitHub Technical Lead, and I'm passionate about front-end technologies and everything related to the cloud, especially Microsoft Azure. I live in Zurich and actively participate in local and international community activities and events. I ... Show more

Sarah is a detail-oriented leader with twenty years of experience in marketing and cloud-based technology, specializing in sales, marketing, customer service, and reporting tools. As principal and founder of Ulster Technologies (www.ulster-tech.com), Sarah partners with individuals and organizations to find where systems, processes, and teams are out of sync—and fix them.

She has served as an enterprise architect, product owner and program/project manager at leading regional and national healthcare institutions. Sarah led dynamic, cross-functional teams through multiple product and platform migrations, passionately improving business processes and driving sales growth.

A graduate of Rosemont College with a Master’s in Strategic Leadership, Sarah is also an active volunteer, serving on various boards and committees, including as Vice President of Communications, Technology & Marketing for Village on the Ridge and as a Board Member and Technology Co-Chair for Philanos.

Areas of Expertise
Through an intentional and winding professional path, Sarah has had the opportunity to gain expertise across a variety of industries, domains, and organizations, continually expanding her knowledge base. At the intersection of marketing, technology, and leadership, Sarah is comfortable and engaging while speaking about a variety of topics including, but not limited to: project and change management frameworks; leadership and communication styles; building trust; managing customer data and experiences; marketing technology and integrations; professional development and empowerment.

Sarah is a detail-oriented leader with twenty years of experience in marketing and cloud-based technology, specializing in sales, marketing, customer service, and reporting tools. As principal and founder of Ulster Technologies (www.ulster-tech.com),... Show more

Abhilekh Verma is a founder, mentor and technical coach who has had a decade of experience in the IT industry working with Sales Teams and Corporate Training Roles. He was a corporate trainer at KPMG Gurugram and KPMG Hyderabad before jumping on the wagon of Entrepreneurship.
He is a mentor at Startupbootcamp, Wadhwani Foundation and runs Microsoft Azure Developer Community, ADP List, Omdena for Hyderabad. He is also a mentor at IIT Guwahati and Microsoft for Founders Hub. He is Microsoft MVP in AI.

Abhilekh Verma is a founder, mentor and technical coach who has had a decade of experience in the IT industry working with Sales Teams and Corporate Training Roles. He was a corporate trainer at KPMG Gurugram and KPMG Hyderabad before jumping on the ... Show more

I've been working as a .NET developer for over 16 years now in a variety of industries including government, retail and manufacturing. But I've been hacking around with computer code since I was old enough to read my Dad's copy of the ZX Spectrum BASIC coders manual.

I've been speaking about Functional C# at various user groups and conferences around the UK, USA, Europe and Australia and am particularly interested in seeing just how far we can push C# without breaking it.

In 2023 I released my first technical book: "Functional Programming with C#", published by O'Reilly Media.

When I'm not coding, or running after my two small children, I have been known to enjoy the classic series of Doctor Who, Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks, Cryptic Crosswords, and rather more coffee than is probably good for me.

I've been working as a .NET developer for over 16 years now in a variety of industries including government, retail and manufacturing. But I've been hacking around with computer code since I was old enough to read my Dad's copy of the ZX Spectrum BAS... Show more

International Speaker, JavaChampion, Cofounder of JBCNConf and DevBcn conferences in Barcelona, and AI4Devs conference in Amsterdam.

Currently working as a Staff Developer Advocate in Java at Sonar (SonarQube), focused on Code Quality, Dev Productivity, AI & Security.

I have worked as a (paid) developer for more than 30 years ago using multiple languajes, but for the last 15 using Java. Although I started when I was 14 with my Amstrad CPC 6128 :)

I am very interested in simulated reality, psychology, philosophy, and Java.

International Speaker, JavaChampion, Cofounder of JBCNConf and DevBcn conferences in Barcelona, and AI4Devs conference in Amsterdam. Currently working as a Staff Developer Advocate in Java at Sonar (SonarQube), focused on Code Quality, Dev Produc... Show more

Bree is a frontend Software Engineer turned Developer Advocate at HubSpot. She has a passion for coding and making technology more accessible to everyone. Bree creates technical content to help developers create and build autonomously. When she isn't working for the Developer Advocacy team at HubSpot, you can find her playing video games, baking, or traveling to magical destinations.

Bree is a frontend Software Engineer turned Developer Advocate at HubSpot. She has a passion for coding and making technology more accessible to everyone. Bree creates technical content to help developers create and build autonomously. When she isn't... Show more

Network whisperer by day, code conjurer by night—living the double life of an NOC engineer and software developer.

Network whisperer by day, code conjurer by night—living the double life of an NOC engineer and software developer. Show more

Sayali Paseband is an accompalished cybersecurity expert with a passion for safeguarding the digital landscape. She is currently a Cybersecurity Advisor at Verisk, previously a Security Consultant at Amazon Web Services, She has over 10 years of experience in cybersecurity and cloud space and has earned over 7 academic degrees in Cybersecurity including Masters in Cybersecurity Analytics, MBA in Information technology Management, Cybersecurity Professional degree from Harvard University, B.Tech, B.S etc,
She is a published author, a youtuber, and has an exceptional ability to translate complex cybersecurity concepts into clear, actionable insights, making her a sought-after professional in the industry.
Audiences can expect a dynamic and engaging session where Sayali takes the stage, where she shares her wealth of knowledge, real-world experience, and practical advice on staying a step ahead in cybersecurity battle.

Sayali Paseband is an accompalished cybersecurity expert with a passion for safeguarding the digital landscape. She is currently a Cybersecurity Advisor at Verisk, previously a Security Consultant at Amazon Web Services, She has over 10 years of expe... Show more

Over 10+ years of experience through 80+ engagements (Small, Medium, Large) in various roles and industries, leaving a trail showcasing his pragmatic approach around the Microsoft cloud ecosystem one step at a time.

Andras has been involved in all stages of Dynamics 365 and Power Platform deliveries from presales through implementation until golive and hypercare, lately more on the design and quality assurance sides which earned him the FastTrack Recognized Solution Architect title. His main professional focus is on advisory: achieving the best business value within your technical landscape in a repeatable fashion and without compromise, while his passion is mentoring teams and community members around topics such as lessons learnt, latest tech advancements and industry best practices for scalable and stable foundations.

In his free time, Andras is an avid beach volleyball player, hiker and a partially successful urban gardener with a green pinky finger.

Over 10+ years of experience through 80+ engagements (Small, Medium, Large) in various roles and industries, leaving a trail showcasing his pragmatic approach around the Microsoft cloud ecosystem one step at a time. Andras has been involved in all... Show more

John is a Principal Consultant at ControlPlane, where he helps some of the world’s most security-conscious organizations build and assure mission-critical platforms. He is a maintainer of the Witness and Archivista sub-projects under in-toto and serves as a co-chair of the CNCF’s TAG Security. John is also actively involved in several initiatives within the OpenSSF. Prior to joining ControlPlane, he was the Director of Open Source at TestifySec and held engineering leadership roles at VMware.

John is a Principal Consultant at ControlPlane, where he helps some of the world’s most security-conscious organizations build and assure mission-critical platforms. He is a maintainer of the Witness and Archivista sub-projects under in-toto and serv... Show more

I am a Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT) and Senior Data & AI Engineer at Long View Systems, specializing in Azure services, data engineering, and AI-driven solutions. I work extensively with Azure Data Factory, Microsoft Fabric, Copilot Studio, and enterprise data migration, delivering scalable and efficient production-grade data platforms.

I hold a Post Graduate Certificate in Generative AI, a PG Diploma in ML & AI, and a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science. I am DP-600 and AI-102 certified, with strong expertise in Microsoft Azure data and AI solutions. I also have hands-on experience with Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) and Azure AI Foundry, applying these technologies to build intelligent automation and insight-driven systems.

Recognized by clients for clear, precise solution delivery and technical communication, I am passionate about automation, AI, and robotics. Outside of work, I enjoy traveling and have a strong interest in cars.

I am a Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT) and Senior Data & AI Engineer at Long View Systems, specializing in Azure services, data engineering, and AI-driven solutions. I work extensively with Azure Data Factory, Microsoft Fabric, Copilot Studio, and ... Show more

Sasha serves as a Microsoft Regional Director (RD), Microsoft MVP, and CEO of multiple IT training, consulting, and engineering firms, specialising in addressing complex business and security challenges for executives and organisations globally. They are providing critical guidance to leadership and CEOs to transform Cybersecurity and AI into strategic business advantage, executive‑level strategy and competitive business value. He holds a wide range of certifications from leading providers such as Microsoft, ISC2, AWS, CompTIA, and EC-Council. In addition to expertise in cloud technologies, security architecture, and consulting, Sasha's teams deliver industry-certified and bespoke workshops and courses. Furthermore, Sasha is recognised as a CISSP, MCT, MCT Community Lead, CEI, and CompTIA Instructor. He is a frequent speaker at international conferences, user groups, and events, and is the author of several books on cloud security, Microsoft Azure, Microsoft 365, and Windows.

Sasha serves as a Microsoft Regional Director (RD), Microsoft MVP, and CEO of multiple IT training, consulting, and engineering firms, specialising in addressing complex business and security challenges for executives and organisations globally. They... Show more

Aditya Soni is a DevOps/SRE tech professional He worked with Product and Service based companies including Red Hat, Forrester Research, Searce, and is currently positioned at SailPoint as a Senior DevOps Engineer. He holds AWS, GCP, Azure, RedHat, and Kubernetes Certifications.He is a CNCF Ambassador, and AWS Community Builder for 4 years He leads AWS, CNCF, and HashiCorp user groups for Rajasthan State in India. He has spoken at many conferences, both in-person and virtually.

Aditya Soni is a DevOps/SRE tech professional He worked with Product and Service based companies including Red Hat, Forrester Research, Searce, and is currently positioned at SailPoint as a Senior DevOps Engineer. He holds AWS, GCP, Azure, RedHat, an... Show more

Julien is a hands-on CTO with 15 years of experience, specializing in Domain-Driven Design (#DDD). His expertise lies in helping organizations build systems that deliver high business value. Julien focuses on aligning organizational structure, architecture and software practices with business objectives. As a member of the OWASP foundation, he actively promotes application security best practices. An international speaker, Julien enjoys sharing his knowledge with others.

Julien is a hands-on CTO with 15 years of experience, specializing in Domain-Driven Design (#DDD). His expertise lies in helping organizations build systems that deliver high business value. Julien focuses on aligning organizational structure, archit... Show more

I love to bring enthusiasm to my speaches and trainings.
I want people to have fun with the M365 tools and I want them to experience how easy it is to create awesome solutions in only minutes.

I love to bring enthusiasm to my speaches and trainings. I want people to have fun with the M365 tools and I want them to experience how easy it is to create awesome solutions in only minutes. Show more

Databricks Champion and Microsoft & Databricks certified consultant with over 15 years of experience in data, analytics, and Azure.

Specialises in designing and delivering end-to-end data platforms using Azure, Databricks, and the Power Platform, with a strong focus on automation, DevOps, and scalable analytics. Works closely with engineers and stakeholders to turn complex data problems into practical solutions.

An active member of the data community who enjoys sharing real-world lessons through talks, blogs and mentoring.

Outside work, enjoys running, swimming, football, and learning new technologies.

Databricks Champion and Microsoft & Databricks certified consultant with over 15 years of experience in data, analytics, and Azure. Specialises in designing and delivering end-to-end data platforms using Azure, Databricks, and the Power Platform, ... Show more

Raphael De Lio is an AI and Software Engineer at Redis with over eight years of experience spanning multiple industries and countries. He is passionate about distributed systems and specializes in Java, Kotlin, and building scalable, high-performance software with a growing focus on reliable, distributed agentic systems.

What drives him is bridging the gap between software engineering and AI engineering, bringing the hard-won knowledge of building distributed, scalable systems into the world of AI where those foundations are often missing but matter most.

Originally from Brazil, Raphael spent six years in Portugal before making the Netherlands his home, where he also helps organize the Dutch Kotlin User Group. He loves blending code, community, and creativity to help developers build better systems faster, and with a lot more fun along the way.

Raphael De Lio is an AI and Software Engineer at Redis with over eight years of experience spanning multiple industries and countries. He is passionate about distributed systems and specializes in Java, Kotlin, and building scalable, high-performance... Show more

Eberhard Wolff has 20+ years of experience as an architect and consultant - often on the intersection of business and technology. He is Head of Architecture at SWAGLab. As a speaker, he has given talks at international conferences and as an author, he has written more than 100 articles and books e.g. about Microservices and Continuous Delivery. His technological focus is on modern architectures – often involving Cloud, Domain-driven Design, and Microservices.

Eberhard Wolff has 20+ years of experience as an architect and consultant - often on the intersection of business and technology. He is Head of Architecture at SWAGLab. As a speaker, he has given talks at international conferences and as an author, h... Show more